In the upcoming NCAA Tournament first-round matchup, the No. 4 seed Maryland Terrapins (25-8) will face the No. 13 seed Grand Canyon Antelopes (26-7) on Friday, March 21, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Maryland, under coach Kevin Willard, boasts a formidable frontcourt led by freshman center Derik Queen, who averages 16.3 points and nine rebounds per game, and senior forward Julian Reese, contributing 13 points and nine rebounds per game. The Terrapins’ defense has been particularly effective, holding opponents to a 41.5% field goal percentage, ranking 58th nationally. Offensively, they are efficient, shooting 47.2% from the field, placing them 55th nationally.

Grand Canyon, led by coach Bryce Drew, is making its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and fourth in five years. The Antelopes are anchored by 6-foot-8 senior forward JaKobe Coles, a transfer from TCU, who averages 14.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Their defense is notable for its playmaking abilities, averaging 9.4 steals and 5.1 blocks per game, ranking 11th and 17th nationally, respectively. However, their three-point shooting has been a weakness, with a 31.5% success rate, placing them 309th nationally. The matchup will likely hinge on Maryland’s ability to leverage its size advantage and Grand Canyon’s capacity to disrupt the Terrapins’ offensive rhythm through defensive pressure.